Letter I sent on June 19th, Still no response......
Fran Brunelle
840 Main Street
Peekskill NY, 10566
(914) 737-3400
June 19, 2014
Re: living
conditions / recertification / need to move
Good Morning Fran,
In your email dated June 18, 2014 you
state:
I have asked you several times when can we do your annual
inspection? If you do not understand why this is imperative I would
suggest you call our office I will explain. We have tried to have our
inspector check the hot water issue and you refused him access. We talked
to your landlord about this as well.
In order to continue
with the Section 8 program we must complete the re-certification which you have
not.
I too have spoken with the landlord,
Bruno Gonzalez, about the hot water issues, I was told by him, his employees
and his son if I want hot water I can pay my rent, rent you have withheld that
was sent via Susan MacNammee of Hudson Section 8 office. Audio of one occasion of this statement
here:
Resolving the hot water issues does
not require entry and I have offered cooperation and suggestions on how to
resolve , the same method used in February 2012 via Inspector Godbee after I
had been without hot water and told I was not. In an email sent to and responded to by you on June 5th
states
“Inspector Godbee stated he and the owner would call from
the basement and call while the hot water is being worked on, That was two
weeks ago and I have not gotten a response and have not had hot water for four
months, the mail is still dropped at the store downstairs and I want to move.
What
is the purpose of inspecting the unit if I am moving? Am i now being
denied the ability to move with the grant? “
Lack
of hot water has been a chronic issue since I moved in with the explanation section
8 doesn’t do hot water and that Jerry, the co-owner says I do have hot
water. Documents attached that
show the hot water was an issue for other tenants in February and March 2014,
two of the months I was also without.
The other three apartments now have hot water, I do not. In addition to
the sanitation issue this dynamic exascerbates, it was explained to me by a
plumber I consulted last year that the circulation valve is tampered with, hot
water that I am paying for is being produced but it can not get into the
apartments pipes and goes into BnD deli downstairs. I can not afford that nor is it legal for me to.
Re:
recertification
Further attempts
to understand your approach to recertifying that differs from the HUD
regulations as posted online and cooperate with that process followed including
and email sent to and responded toby you on June 6th, 2014 which
states:
“According
to the research I've done the inspections are to show that the apartment is livable
for the next year. I will comply with having it inspected, it just seems
as though that would commit me for year. Please send me the regulation
and policy regarding this process, y'all are going about it very different than
what I found online, Id like to read your policies so I understand the
process.”
Another email I sent on June 6th,
2014 states:
“Please send the policies to review ASAP and include
times the inspector available.
Please note that I need to read the policies to allow me to
be fully informed before I can sign anything and understand why the process is
proceeding as it is.
Once I read them we can schedule a time. “
I have requested the policies that explain
your process and attempted work with you numerous times. It is you, through haphazard draconian
application and non-application of policies that have denied me a proactive
recertification process. The
stress and looming homelessness seem intentional in response to numerous
complaints of un-sanitary and unsafe living conditions that dynamics state and
federal laws and regulations prevent.
Clearly this is not a good fit and I need to
move!
Though I have diligently worked to cooperate
with your approach to recertification and inspections the reality is the unit
does not pass inspection before you get to the front door; Tenant mail is not
put in our mailboxes but instead handed to whomever is the closest employee
resulting in violation of privacy guaranteed via NYS tenant law and federal
regulations governing mail handling and delivery. In addition the employees and family loudly hang in our
backyard and walkway areas at night and garbage is store in piles and the
venilation for the kitchen and drums of rotting oil emits putrid oders un mine
and another unit.
It is an immediate need to relocate and be permitted to be
self-sufficient; if you are not going to help me, please stop throwing up
obstacles which amount to harassment and allow me to pursue proactive solutions.
It is important to note removing actions put
in place via CCDSS, an agency with the stated mission of preventing the poverty
would eliminate the need for ‘assistance’.
The payment plan set up by CCDSS as to
collect the alleged debt of $72,000 with a stated principle growing by $300 monthly
in interest labeled as child support payable to NYS with zero dollars going to
my child is not payable and set up to be with me till death:
-
$125 monthly payments + no interest accruing = paid off in April 2063 I
will be 96 years old
-
$125 monthly payments + interest accruing = 2063 balance of $5 million
payable to NYS
- no
payments + interest accruing = 2063 balance of $6.5 million payable to
NYS
In addition as part of the actions to collect the debt my
drivers license, passport and bank accounts have been seized and any earned
income is garnished at a rate of 65%.
These restrictions continue until this un-payable debt is paid.
It is also important to note that not a dime of this
‘child support’ goes to my children, it goes to NYS. Also and their father, who signed them into care and
relinquished his rights owes $0 and has zero restrictions.
I need to be allowed to earn the income I a drilled about
every year during recertification.
It
is clear working together is not possible. When I moved from Hudson to Peekskill at the time of
recertification I processed the paperwork in Peekskill since that where I was
planning to reside. It is
appropriate to follow the same protocol in this case allowing me to move, as I
have requested for nearly three years.
Please provide with me with any documents etc I need to move with the
grant to a safer more suitable location until such time I can negate the need
for assistance.
Thank
you for your time and attention to these issues, lets resolve them and amicably
part ways.
Sincerely,
Michelle
I. Mayer
CC: Susan
MacNammee- Section 8 Hudson (via email)
Judge T Langan – Peekskill City Court
(via fax)
Judge R. Johnson - Peekskill City Court
(via fax)
Paul Mossman – Commissioner CCDSS (via
email)
Pat Graton – Columbia County Supervisors
Chair (via email)
Carole Osterink – Gossips of Riverton/
former Hudson Alderman (via email)
Charlie Hoag - Columbia County ADA (via
email)
Gary
Godbee - Peekskill Section 8 Inspector
(via email)
Richard
Cohen - Peekskill Section 8 Inspector
(via email)
Sara
Sterling - Columbia County
Supervisors – Supervisor (via email)
Ellen
Thurston - Columbia County
Supervisors – Supervisor (via email)
Melanie Wadsworth – fellow tenant at 916
Main Street (via email)
